Evil Ages Old
by Stars-Eclipsed
Summary: Post Owlknight There is an evil coming, one that cannot be stopped by all the great mages of this time. Yet they are being gathered to try and stop it. One will come to lend them the aid of the age gone by to help defeat an evil that is ages old.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that Mercedes Lackey wrote. If you recognize the characters they belong to her. I do claim Carina in all her forms, her brother, and her fiancé.

This is my first Mercedes Lackey fanfic. I hope its good. Please, if you see ways I can improve it, review and tell me.

Calling In 

An'desha woke from a nightmare of fire and power. He was left with a feeling of urgency, that he needed to be somewhere. That sense of urgency led him to the Moonpaths and a couple of old friends.

For reasons unknown, Tre'valen and Dawnfire were waiting for him. They looked fairly agitated. Before he could ask, Dawnfire spoke. "An'desha, you are needed in Valdemar. There is a danger coming that will destroy all if not stopped."

An'desha furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "That doesn't help much. What am I supposed to do, go riding into Valdemar like something terrible is coming? Their Foreers would know if anything was wrong. So…" Tre'valen cut him off.

" Go as if you only wish to visit your friends. More of them will come in time. When the danger comes, you will all be warned. Now go!"

An'desha flung himself down and out, waking in his bed. He got up. He would need to make preparations quickly.

Darian was embroiled in another lesson with his teacher, Firesong. It was almost over, thank goodness. Suddenly, Firesong sat up straight, eyes wide and unseeing. A moment later, a feeling of terror hit Darian. Suddenly, he was unable to move, his eyes only saw a swirl of fire and power. Overlying that image was a feeling of great danger and terror. Then the vision was gone. Left only was the feeling of urgency and danger. Firesong looked dazed for a moment before looking back at Darian.

Firesong was the first to speak. "Did you feel that?"

"Yeah. What was that?"

Firesong looked pensive. "It was almost like the mage storms, except without the sick feeling. Do you still have a feeling of urgency? The need to be somewhere to help?"

"Yes, but where?"

Firesong sat for a moment, concentrating. Finally he spoke, " Wherever we need to be, I think the best place to find out is Haven. With all the Forseers there, they will hopefully be able to tell us."

"So what should we do? Running in there like we're being chased doesn't sound like a good idea."

"You go pack. I'll send a message to Elspeth and Darkwind telling them what happened and that we are coming. Then we go as if we're just coming for a visit. From there we'll see what happens."

Darian nodded, then left the workroom. There would be time for other plans later.

It was the Midwinter vacation in Haven and Darkwind and Elspeth were skating. For once there were no problems, no crisis that needed their attention. They were just relaxing, enjoying the company of each other, Kerowyn, Eldan, Karal, and Altra. Only Kero had joined them on the ice.

Suddenly, Darkwind collapsed on the ice. Shocked, Elspeth and Kero began to skate over to him. A moment later, Elspeth was unable to move and felt herself collapse as her vision was obscured by a vision of fire and power. It was over in a second, but a feeling of horrible urgency was left. She opened her eyes to see Eldan standing over her, shaking her. She sat up, knowing instinctively that Darkwind had been felled by the same vision. Darkwind was sitting up with Kero supporting him, shaking his head as if the clear it. Darkwind's eyes met hers' and they shared a moment of mental contact. Kero was the first to put her question into words, "What the hell just happened?"

Darkwind was the first of the two to find his voice, "I'm not sure. All that really matters is that I know something is going to happen. Bright Feather?"

Elspeth nodded her agreement. "Something is going to happen. Gwena is going to check with the other companions to see if anyone else felt this."

Gwena answered all of them on her own. _: None of the Companions felt this except Kantor. For all that his Gift is usually good only for a candlemark or so, Alberich was hit by the vision so hard that they had to bring him to the Healers. He still has a headache but he is awake. He was apparently hit before either of you were. We can go talk to him now. :_

"Now I understand Firesong's message. Lets go."

Elsewhere

A voice spoke in the darkness. "They are being called in. The Web and the triggers I set up are working. We will tell them soon."

Another answered the first. "You are doing the right thing. They are the best chances their world has. Well, besides those you saved."

The first voice replied, "You will go to join them shortly. All of you. When I introduce us."

Several voices accented.

_Soon now._


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own anything Misty Lackey owns. If you've read the books and don't recognize a character, they're mine.

* * *

"So let me get this straight. We all get premonitions of doom at different times, An'desha is told to come here, and the only Forseer that has any clue is Alberich." Elspeth hated when things didn't add up. She, along with An'desha, Firesong, Darien, Darkwind, Alberich, Kelvren, Kero, Trevalen, and Hydona, were gathered in the gryphons' outer room. They were trying to figure out what in the world was going on. Firesong, Darien, and An'desha had arrived within 2 days of the visions Elspeth and the others at Haven had experienced (um, they can Gate now. Not often but if it's urgent.)

Firesong answered her, " that pretty much sums it up. Most of the Forseers don't even see anything wrong in the future, but it's not the first time."

Hydona spoke up next, "We arrre almossst posssitive that it isss not the mage sssstorrms. An'desha has had no rrrresonance frrrom the Beast'sss memoriessss that would indicate the Falconsssssbane in any of his forrrmsss had encounterrrred thissss problem. It doesss not come frrrom the Empirrre, according to Kerrro. The norrrth isss alssso ssssafe. Where elsse could it be coming frrrrom?"

Pensive looks stood out on each face as all tried to discover where the danger might come from.  
Finally, An'desha spoke, " I can think of no where that the danger might come from. Also, what you said, Hydona, is not entirely correct. Something about the vision itself woke memories of two of the Beast's past incarnations. The strange thing is that the memory is associated with the power behind the vision. He associated it with two people and one power that seemed to find or taunt him it those two incarnations. Those incarnations were a man named Learth… and Ma'ar."

Jaws dropped around the room. Who could have tracked Ma'ar through the ages without using the same tactic? Recovering from the shock, Darkwind spoke, "Are you saying that this person was his adversary at different points?"

"Yes."

"So is it possible that this person is still around and is sending us a warning," Firesong asked.

"It is possible. According to those memories, this person, this woman, while she never completely stopped him, demonstrated enough power to stop him in a heartbeat. She also demonstrated a power to remain ageless, even over centuries. He believe that she was not human and not mortal. He tried to avoid her at all costs."

Elspeth sighed, "I would love to meet this mystery person. Maybe she could be a little more specific with that warning."

:_Then it is about time that I introduced myself:_ the mindvoice came from no where and from everywhere at once. Behind and between Firesong and An'desha, a form took shape and solidified.


	3. Chapter 3

So I don't own anything Misty Lackey owns. Too bad. For those of you who have read her anthology Crossroads, this is also post Transmutation. Which means people can use Gates.

Here goes nothing.

* * *

Heads snapped around and focused on the form that was taking shape behind Firesong and An'desha. No one moved from his or her places, but hands went to hilts, and shields formed around all the mages. The form radiated power on a scale none had seen since Falconsbane had been defeated. Only An'desha had any inkling of what was happening, but Ma'ar's memories knew only fear of this being.

_: Calm down. I don't mean to hurt anyone.: _The voice was now traceable and came from that form.

_: Yeah, trust us that she only means to warn you.:_ The new mindvoice rang in the minds of all, but it was hauntingly familiar to only two.

Elspeth spoke out in shock, " Vanyel?"

_: Yep. I know you though I was dead but…: _Vanyel's mindvoice was almost cheery.

Kero was skeptical. "How do we know this is the 'Last Herald Mage'? I take it someone knows him but, couldn't this be an elaborate trick?"

A third, gravely mindvoice answered,_: It could be but, my former bearer, I would be much harder to counterfeit.:_

"Need?"

_: Why is everyone shouting everyone's name today. Yes it is me, no we are not imposters, and we need to stop making introductions before the world gets overrun by something you all alone cannot stop.:_

That shut everyone up. Finally, An'desha spoke, "So who are you?" He spoke to the woman who had taken shape in the room. She was a beautiful woman of no discernable race, with brown-gold curls braided in a single braid down her back. She seemed about 25, but her green-brown eyes spoke of knowledge ages old. Her green skirt fell to the floor but was split for riding, and her black shirt fit her comfortably. A sword was strapped to her back and by her posture she clearly knew how to use it.

"I go by many names," she said. "An'desha, your memory knows me as Clarissa. My brothers know me by other names. You may call me Carina, as is my rightful name."

Kero had finally gotten up her courage to ask, " So what is this danger everyone seems to know about but can't pinpoint."

Carnina smiled sadly. " An evil being is coming to this world. She seeks to make the people here her slaves or followers. She is – more powerful than any of you could stop. She is to Ma'ar as Ancar was to Ma'ar. I know that she will reawaken the greatest evils of this world. I know she has already started."

Darkwind spoke, " So you give us a warning, now what?"

Vanyel answered him, _: You now need to tell the Counsel. Only then can any of the aid you need truly take any form. I can appear to give you evidence, but only myself, for we are the only ones that the entire counsel ever knew to exist. It is against Carina's laws to do so, and the others are, well, older, from before the Cataclysm.:_

Elspeth looked around the room, at familiar faces and one unfamiliar, and sighed. "Time to go convince the Counsel to let us save the world. Again."

* * *

The Counsel sat in shock, unnerved by what had been said. An evil was coming, and their greatest mages could do nothing to stop it? The only proof of the ethereal visitors, however, was there word, and many were inclined not to believe them.

"What proof do you have?" the envoy of Hardorn questioned. " How can you prove this?"

A mindvoice rang in the minds of all, gifted and ungifted, as an answer. _:I am their proof.:_ Behind Elspeth, with an intangible had on her shoulder Vanyel materialized.

Simultaneously, Firesong and Elspeth said, "Hello Forefather."

Those who had not been at Urtho's tower sat in shock. Who was this being that had popped up? Any why did they call him Forefather. Selenay was the first to speak, " Elspeth, what the hell is going on? Who is that and…"

Vanyel stopped the questions with a raised hand. "I am Herald Mage Vanyel. I am the proof that this is all very real. Oh and they addressed me that way because the both come from decedents. No one told anyone?" The ethereal hands solidified for a moment and delivered slaps to both offending descendants. " Now that my identity is settled, can we get back to the fact that you probably will have to deal with Ma'ar, Learth, Ancar, Falconsbane, and any other extremely horrible wizard or demon that ever existed on this world at the same time." That shocked everyone speechless.

"What can we do?" asked some minor Valdemaran diplomat.

Firesong glared. "You can listen to what we've been saying and that we do have help. By the way, besides you and our very pointy friend, who is there to help us?"

"I can't give you all names before this is agreed to and they arrive. By species or talent, two gryphons, multiple very powerful mages, a few other non humans, and… and some others who I can't name for fear of them getting mad and looking for my blood."

Selenay finally shook out of her daze and spoke, "So here is the question. Do we accept the problem and accept the help?"

The answer was a unanimous yes.

* * *

Please review, I need the feedback. 


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